Pop-Up Blockers

Workaround for overly agressive Blockers?

[antonio banderas]

So many useful, even indispensable website functions rely on "window.open" (no matter how they are dressed up with other names in the javascript) to show larger images, tables, forms, etc. Yet, too many PopUp Blocker programs, that more and more people use now, are overly agressive. The premise is that they are just responding to block OnLoad or Timed events that open windows without being specifically called for by the user. Supposedly, if a user CLICKS deliberately for a "window.open" event they are deliberately ASKING for the window to open and should NOT be blocked by the various PopUp Blocker programs.

Too many Pop-Up blockers are not making that distinction and simply block ALL windows by evidently killing ANY "window.open" event, clicked or not. This is an overkill that is affecting a lot of people's sites who are using traditionally useful javascript to open windows to display information that the user has asked for by their Click.

People are browsing with a PopUp blocker activated and getting frustrated with a site when their Clicks produce nothing. It is very messy to have to selectively disable the Blocker on a Click by Click or site-by-site basis.

Why haven't I heard web designers raising a holy stink about this over agressiveness on the part of PopUp Blocking technology?

Seeing as how this is not likely to change anytime soon--IS THERE a way to build a "window.open" function that works as it has always worked for an OnClick event despite the presence of a PopUp Blocker, no matter who makes it?

[Purple Martin]

I don't use popup-stoppers so I don't know how they would deal with this but: would a link with target="_blank" do the trick? (validation issues notwithstanding)

[antonio banderas]

Thanks for the guesses. No, by the way, your suggestions do not work with any of the popup blockers I am demo-ing.

I hope to hear from people who have installed various PopUp Blockers and are familiar with their different actions.

Apparently this amounts to an industrywide attack on the "window.open" function as initiated by a real live deliberate OnClick trigger--because it is so EASY to nullify ANY "window.open" and call the application a PopUp blocker. PopUp blockers should ONLY protect us against "uncalled for" events that produce cascading windows of pop ups and pop unders.

I have tried a number of PopUp blockers that kill ALL windows as a default action despite specifying that my own mouse clicks are to be exempted from such "protection". Why aren't people--website designers-- demanding that the default for a lot of these PopUp Blockers not automatically kill ALL "window.open" functions?

This is a critical function for a lot of legitimate website designs who have no intention of creating PopUps or PopUnders to harrass people.

[Sinner_G]

Which blockers did you try?

AFAIK, the Google toolbar only kills onload popups. The Opera built-in blocker is set to accept all popups by default and can be set to open only requested popups.

[korkus2000]

We really need to look at why this has happened. Yes the blockers should not be aggressive, but the users have demanded that the popups stop. I have been saying for a long time that this day would come. People are really killing the javascript language by using popups and popunders. Look at norton personal firewall. It not only will kill user asked popups, but invalidate other aspects of js that have nothing to do with popups.

AFAIK most can not be worked around. The only thing you can do is contact the developer of the software and let people know on your site that this software stops your site from working properly.

[jdancing]

My ad-blocker can be set to block all popups or just those not requested. It even blocks adwords and all other force fed network advertising. No, web bugs or CJ quickserve links making surfing is quite a joy.

Trouble is, sometimes I need to leave it off to see what the compitition is doing.

[worker]

I recently started using the Google pop-up blocker and I don't know how I ever surfed without it. Between the Yahoo blocker, the Google blocker, the upcoming MSN blocker, the AOL blocker, the pop-up approach is all but a dead approach.

I'm very excited by AOL's recently announced Spyware Blocker. Once the big guys have stopped all the rampant pop-ups, they are going to focus on the Spyware applications that infest so many computers.

We are moving to a cleaner friendlier internet experience for everyone. Happy happy joy joy!

[bcolflesh]

I'm very excited by AOL's recently announced Spyware Blocker.

This will be a tough row to hoe for AOL's support - this utility will keep uninstalling the AOL software.

[worker]

Hehehe...